Ohio bill lowering police officer minimum age gets support from young officers

[RandySF]

Police officer trainees and current law enforcement accentuated the positives of companion bills at the Ohio Statehouse to lower the minimum age to become a police officer from 21 to 18.

Pataskala Police Department officer Cami Finley is currently completing her field training in a job she said she felt “called” to as a high schooler deciding between careers ranging from teaching to the military.

She was lucky to be able to get the job at the police department, she said, something that she thinks should be an expanded option for people her age and younger, as is written in Senate Bill 53 and its companion bill, House Bill 84. Concerns about maturity of 18-year-olds paint a broad stroke over what could be a good group of officers, she said.

“I believe there are people older than the age of 21 who may not be mature enough for the job,” Finley told the Ohio Senate Committee on Government Oversight. “Age and maturity are not one and the same.”

Her fellow patrolman, 21-year-old officer William Hayes, said being able to work in Pataskala after graduating from Watkins Memorial High School in 2020 closed a chapter of “sheer luck” and uncertain circumstances that he had hoped would lead to a career in law enforcement.

Without some high school courses credited to him as he worked through community college and a city charter in Pataskala that allows anyone 18 and up to work for the city – without specifically excepting police officers – Hayes said he would have found himself stuck waiting for his age to qualify him for service.

He said lowering the minimum age would help people like him get into the service more quickly, and in turn address some departments’ officer shortages.



https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/2023/03/24/ohio-bill-lowering-police-officer-minimum-age-gets-support-from-young-officers/

[samplegirl]

1. Probably because nobody

wants to become a cop. They don’t make nothing.

[jimfields33]

4. If you can join the military at 18, you should be able to be a cop.

18 is adulthood. We as a collective seem to forget that.

[CrispyQ]

13. I respectfully disagree. They are completely different situations.

An eighteen year old in the military doesn't have authority over others. Any conflict they engage in would be with enemies of the state, not fellow citizens. I just think there are a ton of 18-year-olds who just aren't ready for the kind of authority the police have in our communities.

Despite adulthood at 18, we have lots of other age limits as well, so it's not an unfair position.

[jimfields33]

14. I didn't think of that. You are absolutely correct that in the military they don't make

Decisions on life and death or even lesser decisions. Thank you for your reply!!!!!

[ProfessorGAC]

15. Great Catch

And, while I see the young woman's point about age & maturity, she may be quite the exception, and judging maturity is not quantitative.
Age is.

[we can do it]

5. Are you kidding? They make better $$$ than most everyone.

[TheBlackAdder]

20. Many cops in NJ have some pretty decent homes, multiple cars, and sportscraft.

[treestar]

8. one thing I learned from research

of a third world country - we have to pay cops well. Not doing it is asking for corruption.

[madville]

18. They just raised the starting salary here

From $68k to $96k, basically a Hail Mary because recruiting is so dismal now. New hires basically get to start at the top pay step now. With overtime many now make $125k+. This is a southeastern city of 200k people, it’s a great salary here.

[dsc]

2. I think the training to become a police officer should be at least 2 years

which would have the effect of making the minimum age 19 (17 year old high school grad plus two years of training). That I think would be sufficient.

[Mr.Bill]

6. There are very few agencies in California

where you don't need a four year degree to be a cop.

At least with 18 year old cops you might have a better shot at them showing up for work sober.

[dsc]

9. I will say that doesn't seem to be common outside of California

Most places have an academy that lasts about 6 months.

[Mr.Bill]

11. We have an academy like that, too.

Last edited Sun Mar 26, 2023, 09:15 PM - Edit history (1)

The agencies don't necessarily require the degree to be law enforcement related. They also welcome degrees in sociology and other social sciences. They are just looking for some education beyond high school. I would like to see law enforcement agencies shy away from military backgrounds. The militarization of our police over the last few decades has not been such a good thing in my opinion.

[rsdsharp]

3. So many cops already demonstrate childish, and ego driven behavior.

What could go wrong?

[treestar]

7. the rookies look like little kids to me these days

anyway. In fact there are officers in my family and I've known them since infancy.

Our state required college degrees, which de facto made the age 21. They've backed off, since no one wants to take the job now - understandable.

[Fullduplexxx]

10. Perfect. give kids pumped up on testosterone a gun and qualified immunity

[Bayard]

12. Bad idea

I don't think someone just out of high school has the emotional maturity to make split-second decisions of life and death.

[Phoenix61]

16. We don't trust 18-21 year-olds to responsibly handle a beer but it's a

good idea to charge them with making life or death decisions with a gun on their hip? A 21 year-old thinking it is and it’s the way to solve the shortage of LEO’s is classic 21 year-old thinking. From a straight science perspective his brain won’t be done baking for another 4 years. IMHO, I’d prefer a minimum age of 22 for LEOs.

[TheBlackAdder]

21. Sooner they can do their 20 and out, and go for that second pension job.

[Vinca]

17. I think if people this young are to be hired, they should be supervised and on probation for

a couple of years. Some might do fine, but the job entails a level of maturity that is rarely seen in 18 year olds. Or, for that matter, 21 year olds.

[madville]

19. I know some that started at 19

That was the minimum age. I remember one had to get their parents to buy their handgun for them, had to be 21 to buy a handgun but only 18 to possess one here which is weird.